The Fall of British Tyranny Part 12

BOATSWAIN. Come, avast, belay the lanyards of your jaws, and let's have no more of it, d' ye see. [_BOATSWAIN pipes._] Make fast that boat along side there.

[_Exeunt ev'ry man to his station._

SCENE IV. _LORD KIDNAPPER comes up on the quarter-deck._

KIDNAPPER. Well, my brave blacks, are you come to list?

CUDJO. Eas, ma.s.sa Lord, you preazee.

KIDNAPPER. How many are there of you?

CUDJO. Twenty-two, ma.s.sa.

KIDNAPPER. Very well, did you all run away from your masters?

CUDJO. Eas, ma.s.sa Lord, eb'ry one, me too.

KIDNAPPER. That's clever; they have no right to make you slaves, I wish all the Negroes wou'd do the same, I'll make 'em free--what part did you come from?

CUDJO. Disse brack man, disse one, disse one, disse one, disse one, come from Hamton, disse one, disse one, disse one, come from Nawfok, me come from Nawfok too.

KIDNAPPER. Very well, what was your master's name?

CUDJO. Me ma.s.sa name Cunney Tomsee.

KIDNAPPER. Colonel Thompson--eigh?

CUDJO. Eas, ma.s.sa, Cunney Tomsee.

KIDNAPPER. Well then I'll make you a major--and what's your name?

CUDJO. Me ma.s.sa cawra me Cudjo.

KIDNAPPER. Cudjo?--very good--was you ever christened, Cudjo?

CUDJO. No ma.s.sa, me no crissen.

KIDNAPPER. Well, then I'll christen you--you shall be called Major Cudjo Thompson, and if you behave well, I'll soon make you a greater man than your master, and if I find the rest of you behave well, I'll make you all officers, and after you have serv'd Lord Paramount a while, you shall have money in your pockets, good clothes on your backs, and be as free as them white men there. [_Pointing forward to a parcel of Tories._]

CUDJO. Tankee, ma.s.sa, gaw bresse, ma.s.sa Kidnap.

SAILOR. [_Aside._] What a d.a.m.n'd big mouth that Cudjo has--as large as our main hatch-way----

COOK. [_Aside._] Aye, he's come to a wrong place to make a good use of it--it might stand some little chance at a Lord Mayor's feast.

KIDNAPPER. Now go forward, give 'em something to eat and drink there.

[_Aside._] Poor devils, they look half starved and naked like ourselves.

COOK. [_Aside._] I don't know where the devil they'll get it: the sight of that fellow's mouth is enough to breed a famine on board, if there was not one already.

SAILOR. Aye, he'd tumble plenty down his d.a.m.n'd guts and swallow it, like Jones swallow'd the whale.

KIDNAPPER. To-morrow you shall have guns like them white men--Can you shoot some of them rebels ash.o.r.e, Major Cudjo?

CUDJO. Eas, ma.s.sa, me try.

KIDNAPPER. Wou'd you shoot your old master, the Colonel, if you could see him?

CUDJO. Eas, ma.s.sa, you terra me, me shoot him down dead.

KIDNAPPER. That's a brave fellow--d.a.m.n 'em--down with them all--shoot all the d.a.m.n'd rebels.

SERJEANT. [_Aside._] Brave fellows indeed!

KIDNAPPER. Serjeant!

SERJEANT. I wait your Lords.h.i.+p's commands.

KIDNAPPER. Serjeant, to-morrow begin to teach those black recruits the exercise, and when they have learn'd sufficiently well to load and fire, then incorporate them among the regulars and the other Whites on board; we shall in a few days have some work for 'em, I expect--be as expeditious as possible. [_Aside to him._] Set a guard over them every night, and take their arms from them, for who knows but they may cut our throats.

SERJEANT. Very true, My Lord, I shall take particular care.

[_Exit KIDNAPPER; SERJEANT and NEGROES walk forward._

SCENE V.

SERJEANT. d.a.m.n 'em, I'd rather see half their weight in beef.

BOATSWAIN. Aye, curse their stomachs, or mutton either; then our Cook wou'dn't be so d.a.m.n'd lazy as he is, strutting about the deck like a n.o.bleman, receiving Paramount's pay for nothing.

SERJEANT. Walk faster, d.a.m.n your black heads. I suppose, Boatswain, when this h.e.l.l-cat reg'ment's complete, they'll be reviewed in Hyde park?----

BOATSWAIN. Aye, blast my eyes, and our Chaplain with his dirty black gown, or our Cook, shall be their general, and review 'em, for he talks of throwing up his pot-halliards commission, in hopes of it.

SERJEANT. Ha, ha, ha.----

COOK. I'd see the devil have 'em first.----

[_Exeunt SERJEANT, &c._

SCENE VI. _In the cabin._

_LORD KIDNAPPER, CAPTAIN SQUIRES, and CHAPLAIN._

KIDNAPPER. These blacks are no small acquisition, them and the Tories we have on board will strengthen us vastly; the thoughts of emanc.i.p.ation will make 'em brave, and the encouragement given them by my proclamation, will greatly intimidate the rebels--internal enemies are worse than open foes.----